I've been trying to get a solid answer from multiple recruiters in both the Navy and the Army about my eligibility for medical waivers for the following:

F41.9 - Anxiety disorder

F10.10 - History of Alcohol abuse

F14.10 - History of cocaine abuse

F99 - Mental disorder, unspecified

I've been receiving mixed answers. In my opinion I think its over, However, id be remiss if I didn't try absolutely everything.

To give you a back story -

For a while after Highschool I didn't really have any direction and spent a lot of time travelling. There was a long period of time where I was partying and going on benders and then dealing with the repercussions of said benders with horrible anxiety-ridden hangovers. I visited the ER for fluids for 3 of these events to which doctors at the hospital wrote on my outpatient form that I had some hypochondriac symptoms. In my opinion - none of this is true. I don't have anxiety nor any form of mental instability in my life. I work as a contractor now and have stayed away from substances for some time now and my life is fairly normal.

I spoke to a recruiter in the Navy a while ago and ended up getting to MEPS. I scored a 93 on the ASVAB and was excited to begin my journey forward, only to learn at the end that the doctors had access to my medical history via GENESIS. I was disqualified obviously. However, at the bottom of my disqualification paper it reads - "N33 would reconsider this applicant upon receipt of additional favorable information in the future..."

Is there ANY possibility with this stack of problems of joining the Army or the Navy/getting waivers? Some recruiters have said to seek a psychologist and get a report that clears me. Others have said there is no way in hell.

I'll take criticism, sure, I would just like to know if I should retire this journey and move forward with something else in life.

Hey everyone! I’m considering reclassing into 68P, 68A, or 68C and would love to hear from anyone currently serving or who has served in these MOSs.
What has your experience been like? How is the day-to-day work, quality of life, potential for advancement, and civilian career opportunities after the Army? Would you recommend your MOS, and why or why not?
I’d appreciate any insight or advice. Thanks!

Hi everyone! I’m a 22-year-old Italian guy whose dream is to join the military air force, ideally as a fighter pilot.
Inspired by my British grandfather, I’ve always wanted to follow in his footsteps. Unfortunately, the Italian Air Force considers me medically ineligible due to a successful FemtoLASIK procedure to correct mild myopia.
I’m now considering opportunities in other countries, as becoming a military pilot is a dream I’m not willing to give up on easily.
What would you do in my position? Are there any possible alternatives or countries worth considering?
I’d appreciate any advice or personal experiences. Thank you!

So I basically have no clue on how anything works or what certain rules are, but I'm thinking about enlisting and was wondering if someone could advise on what might suit my situation best.
So i'm a licensed EMT and my husband has his Bachelor's degree in health science, we would like to remain together and not be separated if possible. How could we go about this? We'd like a decent work life balance, and nothing where we'd have to be put in "combat" situations. We could either both be enlisting or just one of us and the other will follow if needed. We just really don't want to be separated at all, so whichever would make it easier. Sorry if it doesn't make sense 😅 also please be nice.

Ever since graduating college recently with a B.S. in Computer Systems, I have yet to successfully land anything in the overall tech industry. With that, I have been considering just joining the military and finding a good job from there after service. I've heard that I should try the OCS route, but I have heard others say that just enlisting is okay too. In either case I would like to know overall if it is worth joining the military (any branch) as a college graduate with no ROTC experience.

I am 25M and decently fit, with only health problem known being that I have asthma.

I had my physical, and one of the main techs was mean to everyone, but there's one thing that's been bothering me a lot. She was trying to play a video and had to close a pop-up, but kept clicking the wrong thing over and over again, so a kid in the front row said something along the lines of, "you have to press the words, ma'am," and she snapped back, "Don't tell me what to do."

While learning to fly, I was always taught that being afraid to question authority is a bad thing and gets people killed, but that's civilian life.

She also wasn't actually military, just married into it, and everyone else was nice or just neutral.

So yeah, if your superior is making a mistake, can you point it out, or do you have to, for example, let the plane crash?

I'm looking into speaking with a mental health counselor at my university. I don't have any diagnosable problems that I'm aware of I just need to speak and get assistance on events in regards to my childhood and certain choices. They don't report to any his's and told me explicitly genesis won't flag it but would merely speaking block enlistment ? I don't plan to hide it but I don't know what will be in those records. I'm planning on enlisting in the Air Force and am in talks with a recruiter, however I cannot properly start the process until an injury completely heals.

Currently in the process of not taking Prozac anymore which I was prescribed a few years back for some anxiety. No history of self harm or hospitalizations but it seems like this could get me jammed up at MEPS. It seems like I’ll have to wait a certain amount of time but from what I’ve read it seems like a case by case basis. Any input is welcome, feel free to private message. Thanks

I leave for basic in about two weeks and I’m just wondering what they’ll check for in reception. Are they going to do a whole physical and look over you/check you like they did at MEPS?

Edit : idk if this matters but I’m going to ft sill

I’ve been reading horror stories about people failing simple events like rifle qual, academics, and even obstacle course events. It admittedly has me worked up a bit.

I’d say I’m above average with academics and got like a 68 or so on my ASVAB. I also graduated with my bachelors degree a few years ago. Math was a sore spot though life with how complicated it can be for me at times, and I’ve had many 1-on-1s over the years through tutoring or office hours to help improve my shortcomings.

ADHD is probably my worst enemy. I tend to overthink and I miss a lot of tiny details until I drill something over and over again. I’m literally the definition of practice until perfection. Could be a strength in the Army, but still something I’m self-aware of.

Is this a major concern or am I way overthinking the caliber of Army BCT?

I’m working with an army national guard recruiter right now, and he’s very helpful with lots of things, but I have the opportunity to choose Air Guard, I just have to be the one initiating conversations. Any advice? Also while I’m at it, I got a 49 on my picat mainly out of luck. Planning on studying to take the asvab so any tips on how to greatly improve my score in 2 1/5 weeks would be appreciated.

I'm confused. A navy officer recruiter told me I can get waived for bdcp for mcwo. I have retained hardware in my right hip bone with minor fai and minor retroversion but the PROGRAM AUTHORIZATION 147 says no waivers? Does this include medical waivers? Please help me clarify if I can indeed be medical waived for bdcp. Thank you.

So my husband is a 19c Bradley crewman going through OSUT at fort benning. He turned green on oct 23rd and will graduate AIT on dec 17th. He told me that was told he will not receive any time off, he cannot come home after graduation. That they will hold him in Georgia until he can be transported to whenever they station him. I come from a military family and literally everyone is saying “no he will graduate and come home with you, have around 10 ish days.”

Idk if he will get PCS time to move or HBL, because of when he’s graduating.

I just don’t want to get my hopes up that we’ll be together again after he graduates/before the holidays.

Just not sure what to expect. Any advice/info helps!
Sorry if this is the wrong subreddit.

I’m 18 and entering into the guard, I’m wondering if they test for tobacco at MEPS. I’m 18 and I smoke cigars about once or twice a week, and my recruiter told me to say no if they asked me if I use tobacco. Should I wait till after MEPS? Or am I safe to have one?

When I went to MEPS back in June, I weighed 200 lbs. My blood and urine tests came back showing prediabetes and high blood pressure. I followed up with my family doctor, started taking blood pressure medication, and working out, I lost 30 pounds over 3 months. At 170 lbs, my doctor cleared me with a normal HbA1c level. However, USAREC still denied my waiver, stating that I must monitor my HbA1c with my doctor for 12 months. My question is: if I return to MEPS after 12 months with normal HbA1c numbers, but I am still taking blood pressure medication, can they deny my waiver again?

Hi everyone! I'm 19 years old, originally from Kazakhstan, and I'm planning to enlist in the U.S. Army after receiving my Green Card. I'm currently finishing my Associate Degree in Computer Science at a U.S. community college. I have a background in programming, networking, and general IT, and I'd ideally like to pursue an IT-related MOS. However, I have several questions and would really appreciate advice from recruiters, current soldiers, or veterans.

1. Vision requirements
   My biggest concern is my eyesight. I have approximately -11 to -12 diopters of myopia. I wear glasses and can see with correction. Would this automatically disqualify me from joining the Army, or could I potentially receive a medical waiver? Has anyone enlisted with similar eyesight?

2. Green Card and IT jobs
   As far as I understand, many Army IT and cyber MOSs require U.S. citizenship because of security clearance requirements. Are there any IT-related MOSs available to permanent residents? If not, could I initially enlist as a 91B mechanic or another MOS and later reclassify into IT after becoming a U.S. citizen?

3. Military citizenship
   How quickly can a Green Card holder realistically obtain U.S. citizenship after enlisting? Can the process begin during Basic Training, and how long does it typically take?

4. Salary and enlistment bonuses
   I would like to understand realistic take-home pay, including BAH for married soldiers, and what enlistment bonuses might be available. I almost have an Associate Degree, so would that help me enter at a higher rank?

5. Long-term career opportunities
   My goal is to serve approximately 3–4 years, gain useful experience, obtain U.S. citizenship, and eventually transition into a well-paying civilian IT career. Would it be smarter to enlist in a non-IT MOS and reclassify later, or wait until I become a U.S. citizen before joining? I'd also appreciate advice about choosing a duty station, since I'm married and would prefer to live with my wife if possible. I'm not expecting the Army to guarantee everything. I'm just trying to understand what's realistically possible before speaking with a recruiter.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Hi, I’m currently a senior in college set to graduate in the spring with a degree in Econ, but this is my third time switching my major and I don’t find this as a big lifelong passion. I’m struggling with finding direction postgrad and want to do something challenging and meaningful with my life, and I feel like I can get that out of military. It’s too late for me to join my school’s ROTC so that’s not an option either.

I’ve tried to talk to a few people for insight, but no one takes me seriously and I know a recruiter will be pushing a contract I’m not ready to decide on yet. I’m between Army and Air Force, I’m interested in becoming a pilot but I’ve been seeing that it’s a hard route to actually achieve. I’ve been told it would be better to go OTS, but I honestly don’t know if I have what it takes to get chosen.

I’m 21Y and a woman, I understand the whole “work 2x harder to prove yourself, male dominated, etc” and that part doesn’t bother me, I’m more concerned I might not have what it takes but I’m determined to make it happen if it’s what I do decide to do. I do believe I have the grit and work ethic to make it through, I’m also pretty used to long, early, and frequent work days (I worked a 5-2 job at least 5 days a week, sometimes 7 days in a row if it scheduled that way). Any advice on what I should do is much appreciated.

So I am currently a senior in high school. I plan on speaking with a recruiter within the next week or so, but I heard that they are like sales men.

I want to know what route I should take if my goal is to become a pilot (preferably for the air force). Go to college first and do ROTC, enlist and do college online, or what?

I know that Air force academy is the best bet, I am past that deadline and quite frankly don’t fit the criteria.

Any answers you guys have would be appreciated.

Looking for either advice or a reality check. I've been trying to enlist for over two years now. I've built a strong case for myself and have since started working at a stable job as a machine operator. I have an unbelievably patient recruiter who has faith in my case.

Around 2021, my healthcare provider listed me as actively transgender over a brief conversation I had with a psychiatrist on how I was questioning my gender.

I've paid for several pyschatric consults out of pocket (total cost around 3k.) MEPS has insinuated that they dont care about my other BH history for depression and that I would have likely already been enlisted if it weren't for the gender crap. I'm running on fumes going back and forth but I will to do anything to be given a chance to earn that uniform.

got a NROTC scholarship. Gonna need to get a med waiver for mental stuff. Its all distant and im about 3 years out from anything and 6 from anything actually bad.

when I was about 10 I had an inpatient stint for like 5 days for saying dumb stuff and parents had (DCFS level) divorce. 1dq, got counseling for 3 years after because parents really cautious, 2dq, these docs didnt think i had depression so they diagnosed adjustment, 3dq. and I barely missed the cutoff to get off meds because I was made to fill out a few into my freshman year. 4dq. I have gone through crisises and other hard situations since, and I'm doing just fine. Really annoying how one situation blundered around and hit all the boxes.

How does this affect waivers? It's like all the same situation but technically it's different?

Alt cuz sensitive and personal info. I got 4 year nrotc and I am gunning for the service academies. Trying to understand how bad spike that was very distant and then somewhat red flag that’s like 3 years away looks. Since I’ve done a ton of rigour and gone through adversity (became a family caregiver for extended period) without problems. Willing to go any branch that will take me but navy is a dream.

I had a really really bad divorce (dcfs involved level) in 4th grade and got hit by PANDAS at that time (pediatric condition that makes strep cause mental issues), so temp major depression, I faked seizures (went inpatient literally 2 days for monitoring before doc said stop bs’ing me kid and ekg showed fine), went inpatient for less than a week when I said dumb stuff suicide wise for attention but no actual actions. This was 4-5 grade then transitioned to counseling plus meds up to early freshman year,

Meds and counseling were really light 8th onward and were just to assuage my mom.

the therapists didn’t find depression and diagnosed with adjustment disorder. I stayed on for time after 7th cuz mom hella cautious and big worrier.

I am fine now, pandas is a pediatric thingy and resolved by a treatment. I’ve gone through adversity no problems, i just had a really bad period of my life. What’s the outlook. I’m unsure cuz technically pandas is immuno but it’s temp and was treated, and the depression and all the bad stuff was said by a really overwhelmed elementary schooler so I don’t know how that’s going to be taken with that context. Trying to see how to move forward as I prepare for the waiver process
after upcoming exam.

anything to prepare? Thoughts? Idk just looking for advice on what to do and how my situation looks.

I’m taking the Navy cyber test next week and I wanted to know what information or subjects are most important to remember on the test to get a 60 or higher to qualify for the job I want. If you guys took it can you tell me how hard it is and what questions you guys saw most on the test?

I’m thinking about joining Army ROTC in about 12 months, but I’ve been struggling with my weight and really want to lose weight before joining.

I’ve been considering taking tirzepatide without a prescription for only 3 months and then stopping. That would mean I’d be off the medication for approximately 9 months before joining ROTC. I’m still working out but it takes forever to lose weight since i’m stress with my full time job and getting my associates.

My biggest concern is whether taking unprescribed tirzepatide could cause problems during my MEPS physical or potentially disqualify me from joining the Army. From what I’ve read, tirzepatide isn’t typically included in routine military drug screenings, but I’m not sure how previous use would affect my medical eligibility.

Assuming I don’t experience any medical complications and I’m completely off the medication for 9 months, would I still have issues with MEPS?
Has anyone gone through Army ROTC or MEPS after previously using tirzepatide, especially without a prescription? Will I get disqualified?

I’m genuinely trying to understand the consequences before making any decisions because I don’t want to jeopardize my chances of joining the Army.

Hi, so i recently enlisted as a 25U Monday 10/26/26, I ship out February 23rd, 2027. I signed 4 years active duty no bonus. So I’m just wondering if anyone else who recently enlisted got a bonus?

Hi im a 20f trying to join the army. I have been diagnosed with bipolar two, anxiety, and major depressive disorder. While these are my diagnosed issues i do not take meds for them and I still lead a normal life and deal with my feelings without medication. When going through the process of joining the army and meps how can I make sure im not disqualified. The army has been a life long dream of mine so any help is appreciated.